THE SECRETS WE KEEP

Twelve years after Nathan Fisher left his Amish roots behind, his father’s death takes him back to Mississippi, where he grapples with confusion and self-reflection.

Driven by a desire to help his sister, who was born with a heart defect, Nate left home and pursued a career in professional baseball, hoping to earn enough money to get her a heart transplant. His dreams didn’t come true, and in his job as a deputy sheriff in Oklahoma, he’s been involved in a deadly shooting. Despite being cleared of wrongdoing, Nate can’t shake the guilt that haunts him. He returns home for his father's funeral knowing he’s not welcome, and even his mother refuses to speak to him since he’s under the Bann, a strict Amish law applied to those who leave. The one person who does want to talk to him is Rachel Hostetler, the love of his life, who married after waiting four years for his return. Rachel has two children, but her husband vanished three years ago, and she lives with her father. Rachel’s brother, Albie, supposedly hanged himself. Her father burned Albie's clothes and the rope and buried him in secret. Rachel, who can’t believe Albie would die by suicide, seeks Nate’s help. Albie was being bullied by a group of well-connected "Englisch"—non-Amish—boys Rachel thinks beat and murdered him. A deputy who’s willing to listen helps get the body exhumed, raising new riddles only Nate can solve. Though they seem to have no future, Nate can’t leave Rachel until the truth is revealed.

Fans of Linda Castillo will love this look at the Amish community, filled with mystery and forbidden love.